Churros Recipe

Heat water and butter

In a small saucepan, combine 0.25 cups water, 0.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 0.25 teaspoon granulated sugar, and a pinch of fine salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring once or twice to melt butter and dissolve sugar.

Add flour

Remove the pan from heat and immediately add 0.25 cups all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 30–45 seconds.

Cool slightly

Let the dough cool off the heat for 3–4 minutes so it is warm but not hot (this prevents the egg from scrambling).

Incorporate egg and vanilla

Beat 0.25 of a large egg (lightly whisk a whole egg and measure out roughly one quarter of it by volume) and 0.0625 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the measured egg to the warm dough and beat vigorously until the dough is smooth, glossy and slightly sticky. If the dough seems very stiff, add a tiny drop of water (less than 1/8 tsp) to adjust consistency — the dough should pipe easily but hold shape.

Prepare piping equipment

Transfer the dough into a small piping bag fitted with a large star tip (about 0.5–1 cm opening). Twist the bag to push dough toward the tip and keep it ready for frying.

Heat oil

Pour about 0.5 cups neutral oil into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet to a depth of about 1/2–3/4 inch. Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of dough — it should sizzle gently and rise to the surface within a few seconds.

Pipe and cut

Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the oil surface about 1–2 inches above it. Squeeze out a 4–6 inch length of dough directly into the oil, using scissors or a knife to cut the dough and gently nudge it off the tip so it separates from the bag. For one churro, pipe a single 4–6 inch strip.

Fry until golden

Fry for about 2–3 minutes total, turning gently with tongs or a fork to brown evenly until golden brown and puffed. Adjust heat as needed to maintain steady sizzle without burning.

Drain

Use tongs to transfer the churro to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil for 30–60 seconds.

Toss in cinnamon sugar

Combine 0.5 teaspoon granulated sugar and 0.125 teaspoon ground cinnamon on a small plate. While the churro is still warm but not dripping, roll or sprinkle the churro in the cinnamon-sugar until evenly coated.

Make a quick chocolate sauce

Place 0.25 ounce chopped dark chocolate and 0.25 tablespoon heavy cream in a small microwave-safe dish. Microwave in 10–15 second bursts, stirring between, until melted and smooth (about 20–30 seconds total). Alternatively, melt gently over a double boiler. Serve a small spoonful alongside the churro for dipping.